How to Take Care of Your Pet Labradoodle and Train Him Well

As members of the popular dog society, Labradoodles are amazing dogs to have. They are extremely charming and intelligent. Indeed, half of them are always smiling and the other half is in constant thought.

To be honest, I have an insane amount of admiration for Labradors, and when I first came across the idea of crossing a lab and a poodle, I didn't think it would be that great. Well I was wrong and they are indeed a breed of all that is good in the world (corny, but true!). But, with great dogs comes great responsibility. Labradoodles can be quite bothersome to take care of, seems to be the case with most crossbreeds. Delve into the world of being owners and caretakers for the dog that's been famous since 1988.

Labradoodle Characteristics

Bear in mind that Labradoodles are still a fairly new breed and as a new breed, it will take time for them to fully develop as the perfect combination between their parent breeds. This is what makes it extremely important for a dog owner to take care of which dogs can be the best as the parent dogs.

Temperament

Although they may be a little underdeveloped, the right combination makes the near perfect dog. They can be friendly like their parents. Labradoodles can be very mature in behavior, yet being very energetic and enthusiastic. Both labs and poodles are considered as the most intelligent breed of dogs, and the same is expected from their cross. It can, however, be said that there is still no uniform behavior pattern in all Labradoodles.

Health

It is always a possibility for any new breed created to possess weaker resistances than their parents. This is more evident in offspring from two Labradoodles than from a lab and a poodle. The fact remains that they are not yet classified as a breed, which means it may be difficult to treat them for health complications. Hip problems are the more common conditions amongst them. They do, however, seem to possess the strength from both the parent breeds too. If the genetic pool is set right, they can be made super-resistant too!

Caring for Your Labradoodle

If you are serious about getting one, then you need to be serious about their health care too. There are some important things that you cannot miss out on for your dog's sake, and you need to do them regularly.

The Vet

If you have adopted the Labradoodle from a pound, you will first take him/her to the vet. It is advisable to get an adopted dog neutered or sprayed. This has both health and behavioral benefits. After that, get the whole vaccination regime done with. Whether adopted or bred selectively, you will have to go to the vet every six months.

Grooming

Their coats can be quite a bother if you don't take care of them. The dog hair needs to be cut once every year or once every 3 to 4 months. The advised length of hair is about 3" to 4".

Grooming depends on the type of hair, of which there are basically two:

Wool coats need to be trimmed once every 3 to 4 months. This is because the hair will become very bothersome if you prolong the time between two trimmings. The hair tends to knot up, leaving a harsh matted feel and inviting health problems.

Fleece coats are less bushy and more wavy. They can be kept longer than wool coats, but you need to brush them regularly. They can be trimmed once in a year or maybe even more, depending on the dog and the straightness of the hair.

One important thing here is that, the texture, hair density and even color change as the dog gets older. So you need to keep a check on that too. Bathe the dog at regular intervals, but don't overdo it, this will remove any oils from your dog's coat, making it coarse and thinned out. Labradoodle grooming is an extensive topic by itself, you'll need additional information to help you make your doodle clean and looking great.

Food

Labradoodles can eat animal sources (namely, chicken) for proteins and fat, along with a few listed grains and plant sources for other nutrients. Like all dogs, there's a list of stuff that you need to keep away from the dog at all times, eating these things will make your dog very sick. The list includes grapes, cherries, mushrooms along with the regular anti-freeze (ethylene glycol - very dangerous) and cocoa/chocolate.

Training

All the things you need to do for a dog are included in a Labradoodles training. This includes potty training, room training, outdoor training and removing total fearfulness of strangers and other dogs. Just remember that you should remove your doodle's collar when you're home, especially when the doodle is inside its cage/box.

In the end, the Labradoodle is essentially a part of the family like all dogs and should be treated like one, with extra care for some things that other dogs don't really need. But any dog lover will realize the immense pay off for taking special care of their pets.

One important thing here is that, the texture, hair density and even color change as the dog gets older. So you need to keep a check on that too. Bathe the dog at regular intervals, but don't overdo it, this will remove any oils from your dog's coat, making it coarse and thinned out. Labradoodle grooming is an extensive topic by itself, you'll need additional information to help you make your doodle clean and looking great.

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Food

Labradoodles can eat animal sources (namely, chicken) for proteins and fat, along with a few listed grains and plant sources for other nutrients. Like all dogs, there's a list of stuff that you need to keep away from the dog at all times, eating these things will make your dog very sick. The list includes grapes, cherries, mushrooms along with the regular anti-freeze (ethylene glycol - very dangerous) and cocoa/chocolate.

Training

All the things you need to do for a dog are included in a Labradoodles training. This includes potty training, room training, outdoor training and removing total fearfulness of strangers and other dogs. Just remember that you should remove your doodle's collar when you're home, especially when the doodle is inside its cage/box.

In the end, the Labradoodle is essentially a part of the family like all dogs and should be treated like one, with extra care for some things that other dogs don't really need. But any dog lover will realize the immense pay off for taking special care of their pets.